


The Sublet

by javajunkie



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Modern AU, Romantic Comedy, roommates au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-02-23 07:43:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23074702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/javajunkie/pseuds/javajunkie
Summary: Rey and Rose sublet their spare room to Ben Solo.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 38
Kudos: 154





	1. Chapter 1

Rey had been reluctant when her roommate, Rose, recommended subletting their spare room. She liked the extra storage and she wasn’t sure if their morning bathroom rotation could really handle another party. But, even Rey had to admit money had been tight the last few months, so she relented and helped Rose draft the Craigslist advertisement, watching on as Rose pressed enter.

“What if no one responds?” Rey asked after a moment.

“I’m sure someone will respond.”

“But will we actually want to live with any of them?”

“Well. Jury’s still out on that.”

It turned out that they did not, in fact, want to live with the majority of the people who responded. After a particularly difficult interview, Rey poured herself a wine of glass and said, “Was it just me, or did that last one have a distinct murder vibe?”

“Very murder-ey vibe,” Rose returned from the couch. “Pour me a glass, too?”

Rey poured another glass and walked over, handing it over to her friend. 

“I think we need to lower our standards,” Rose said. “Otherwise, we are never going to find someone.”

“Our standards are fine. It’s everyone else.”

“That’s something a person with too high of standards would say.”

There was a knock on the door, surprising both of them.

“Do we have another interview today?” Rose asked.

“I don’t think so.” 

Rey placed her wine on the coffee table and walked over to the door, opening it up to find a tall man with a shock of dark hair standing in the doorway. He was dressed in all black, save for a dark grey turtleneck sticking out of the top of his pea coat. 

“Hello, can I help you?” Rey asked.

“I’m Ben Solo. I’m here about the spare bedroom you listed on Craigslist?”

Rey looked back at Rose who gestured quickly for her to let him in.

“Yes, please come in,” Rey said, stepping aside as he walked past her.

Ben glanced at the wine glasses on the table and Rose quickly whisked them into the kitchen, tossing over her shoulder, “So, Ben, tell us about yourself.”

He sat down on the couch, looking almost comically big on the small two-seater. “Well, um, what do you want to know?”

Rose asked the basic questions and Ben answered them calmly, interjecting his virtues as a roommate when fit. After a particular comment about never leaving dishes in the sink, Rey said, “I have a question for you. Why would you want to move in with two complete strangers?”

Rose gave her a look and Rey shrugged. After all, they encountered some real weirdos along the way, this seemed like a good way to figure out if he was one, too.

Ben looked at Rey appraisingly, apparently not put off by her directness. Rose quickly said, “You don’t have to answer that.”

“No, it’s a fair question. The truth is, I just had a relationship that ended pretty messily and it was either this or move back with my parents. This felt like the better option.” There was a pause and he added, “Plus the room is really, really cheap.” 

Rey’s gaze was trained on Ben before she looked at Rose and tilted her head toward her bedroom. Rose nodded and told Ben, “Just give us one minute, okay?”

They slipped into her bedroom, and Rey asked, “So, what do think? I like him.”

“He seems nice,” Rose said. “And not murder-ey.”

“Yes, not murder-ey in the least,” Rey agreed. “So?”

“I say yes.”

Rey nodded. “Alright then.”

She walked out of her bedroom, Rose on her heels, and said, “So, Ben, when would you like to move in?”

* * *

Ben moved in the next weekend, affording them not only a new source of income, but also a very nice blender upgrade. It did not take him long to unpack his boxes and they celebrated with a dinner of pizza and wine, calling it a night around midnight. Rey climbed into bed and stared up at the ceiling, engaging in the routine push and pull with her mind until she gave in and got out of bed, settling on the couch. It was half-past one, the apartment silent except for the steady hum of the heater.

Rey turned on the television, switching the sound to mute. She flipped through the channels until she found a movie that she recognized. It was one of the early Sandra Bullock romantic comedies that she always pretended to not know. Truth be told, she always loved them. There was something comforting about watching that woman fall in love over and over. It was a nice constant in an ever-changing world.

Rey heard a noise behind her and turned around, surprised to see Ben halted on his way toward the kitchen. Thinking that she woke him, Rey apologized and he said, “No, it wasn’t you. I was already awake.”

He poured himself a bowl of cereal and when he asked if she wanted one too, she nodded. She quietly watched him pour them each a bowl of Frosted Flakes. He was careful to make as little noise as possible and she smiled to herself at his slow and deliberate closing of the refrigerator door. Ben settled next to her on the couch and handed her the cereal.

“Thank you,” she said. 

“You’re welcome.”

They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before he asked, “Why are you watching a movie on mute?”

“It’s one thirty in the morning,” she returned, by way of explanation.

“You make a valid point.” There was another beat of silence. “Do you do this a lot?”

Rey nodded. “I’m not the greatest sleeper.”

“Me neither.”

“It’s hard settling into a new place,” Rey said between mouthfuls of cereal.

“It’s not that. I’ve always been this way. It’s like my brain refuses to settle when it’s horizontal.”

Rey smirked at the phrasing and, figuring that he wouldn't be offended as she was also up in the middle of the night, asked, “Have you tried sleeping sitting up?”

He laughed a bit. “You know, I haven’t. That might just be the fix."

"Happy to help," she returned gamely. "But, whenever you can’t sleep, you’re welcome to join me out here.”

“Thank you, Rey.” 

A comfortable silence fell between them before he said, “Hey, isn’t this _Two Weeks Notice_?”

Rey looked at him with surprise. “Yes, it is.”

“This is a great movie. Really underrated, in my opinion.”

Rey settled further into the couch and murmured, “We’re going to get along just fine, Ben.”


	2. Chapter 2

After that first night, it wasn’t uncommon to find Ben and Rey together in the middle of the night, a meandering conversation passing between them as they watched whatever movie they found on the television. Over the course of several weeks, they made it through the entire Harry Potter series – _The Chamber of Secrets_ twice – as well as a good selection of Nora Ephron films that oddly always seemed to be playing during the night. (Rey preferred _When Harry Met Sally…_ while Ben had an odd soft spot for _Sleepless in Seattle_.) Just as it wasn’t uncommon to find Ben and Rey together in the middle of the night, it had become rather commonplace for Rose to still find them on the couch in the morning.

Rey woke with a start, turning around and glancing back at the kitchen over the top of the couch. Rose was over at the coffee maker pouring herself a mug of coffee. She caught Rey’s gaze and gave her a small wave.

“Coffee?” Rose asked.

“Yes, please.” Rey looked over at Ben, who had also woken up. His hair was mussed from sleep and stuck up at odd angles. “What about you?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Two please, Rose,” Rey said, resting her chin on the top of the couch and closing her eyes. When she opened them, Rose was in front of her with the coffee. She took it gratefully, inhaling the warm scent.

“You know, you two are enabling each other,” Rose said. “What did you watch this time?”

“ _The Rock_ ,” Ben said between sips of coffee.

“Isn’t that the weird Alcatraz movie with Sean Connery?” Rose asked with confusion. “Why in the world would you watch that?”

“I fell asleep before it ended,” Rey said. “I always fall asleep before the ending.”

“You could try watching it during normal waking hours,” Rose offered. “That might up your odds.”

“Are you feeling excluded, Rose?” Rey teased. “You are always welcome to join us. Sleeping disorder optional, although it does help.”

Ben yawned wide and Rose said, “You better take a cat nap or something, Benjamin. We need you in top form tonight.”

“What’s tonight again?”

“We’re having people over, remember? This is a very big evening for us. It’s the first party since our new couch.”

“And new roommate,” Rey added.

“Yes,” Rose enthused. “This will be a bit like a coming out party for you.”

“Yeah, that’s really not necessary,” Ben said. “Let’s go back to focusing on the couch.”

“Don’t worry, tonight is going to be great.” Rose stood up, tipping her head back to catch the last bit of her coffee. “You guys can finish the pot.”

Rose disappeared into her room to change for the day and Rey looked over at Ben. He had smoothed out his hair a bit, but there was still a pesky cowlick at the front. 

“Time to start the day,” Ben muttered, bracing his hands on his legs. “So, what are the odds I can skip out on this party?”

“Well, in theory you have a choice, but in actuality…”

Ben laughed, shaking his head. “You know, this wasn’t in your Craiglist ad.”

“Consider it the fine print.”

Ben stood up and gestured toward her coffee mug. “Refill?”

“Yes, please.”

* * *

There was nothing Ben hated more than parties and he didn’t think this night would be any different. He wasn’t much of a joiner and alcohol added to the mix made him even less keen on the joining. He didn’t like drunk people. Everyone acted out and talked a good decibel louder than necessary. Conversations were meaningless, and when someone actually said something of meaning, it was either attributed to the alcohol or forgotten all together. Ben played along for what he considered a respectable amount of time – even taking part in a game of flip cup at which he proved to be surprisingly adept – but eventually he had his fill of joining and disappeared into his room. Sometime later, his door opened, Rey slipping in and closing it shut behind her.

“There you are,” she said. “I’ve been wondering where my flip cup ringer went.”

Ben smiled slightly. “He needed a break.”

“I can see that,” she said, sitting on the edge of his bed. “You’re not much of a party person, are you?”

Ben shook his head. “I’m not big on crowds.”

“Well, it should be winding down soon out there.”

“Really?” he asked, unconvinced.

“Oh yeah, they’re all on their third round of Malort shots, so it’s only a matter of time before that turns on them.”

The door opened suddenly and Rose barged in and said, “There you are, Rey. What are you doing in here?”

“Oh, well-“

“Doesn’t matter,” Rose said quickly. Her eyes were wide, and she nearly trembled with excitement as she enthused, “ _He’s_ here.”

Ben didn’t know who the “he” referred to, but Rey clearly did as she returned in a similar tone, “He is? I thought he couldn’t come.”

Rose nodded enthusiastically. “Me too, but he’s here.”

“He’s here.”

“I’m sorry, who’s here?” Ben asked, context entirely lost on him as he looked between them.

“Our neighbor, Nicholas. Rey’s only been in love with him for the past year.”

“Love is a strong word,” Rey said quickly, cheeks coloring.

Rose ignored that statement, and instead grabbed Rey’s arm and said, “Come on, this is your moment. You’re landing 4G.”

Ben watched them open his door and start toward the room before they stopped suddenly, Rose grasping Rey’s arm tightly. Curiosity getting the best of him, Ben stood from his bed and came behind them, easily seeing over their heads into the room. He followed the direction of their gaze. It was a conventionally attractive man with his arm wrapped around a woman’s waist. It was a clearly possessive embrace, leaving little room for interpretation.

“I don’t believe it,” Rose said. “He brought someone. How could he bring someone?”

“It’s okay,” Rey mumbled.

“No, it is not okay. That shit. You two were practically pre-dating.”

“I’m sorry, what is pre-dating?” Ben asked behind them.

“It’s the stage right before dating,” she said quickly. “Where everyone knows you will date, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

“Oh, so it’s literally what it sounds like. Okay.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Rey said, although the tone of her voice suggested otherwise.

Rose was fuming and said, “I want to throw him out. Can I throw him out?”

“You cannot throw him out. Look, it’s fine. Let’s just go back out.”

Rose looked over at her friend and told her, “You are very brave, Rey.”

“Thank you.”

Ben cleared his throat a bit. “Do you need me?”

Rey gave him a small grin and shook her head. “No, you put in your time tonight. Thank you, though.”

As they walked out, Ben heard the exchange between the two.

“Can I spill a drink on him?”

“No, Rose.”

* * *

That night, they ended up on the couch again, Rey uncharacteristically quiet beside him as they watched some home improvement show on mute. He didn’t know what to say, and whether it was appropriate to even say anything at all.

“I don’t know if you want to talk,” he began unsteadily. “You can, if you want. And if you don’t, that’s okay, too.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

To his surprise, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. 

“That’s a horrible wallpaper,” she murmured.

“Yes, it is.”

Rose found them that way the next morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After struggling a lot with adding more to this story, I am super happy with how this chapter turned out! It definitely went in a direction that I hadn't intended. I hope you enjoy!

Rey leaned over the toilet, grasping the edge of the seat with white knuckles as her stomach clenched uncomfortably. It was as if someone reached inside her and squeezed until the contents had nowhere to go but up and out. She knew what came next because she had played out this scene a good three or four times. Each time felt like the grand finale, choking and spewing, but then whatever she attempted to digest after – water, ginger ale, an adventurous saltine – fought to the front to announce that this particular horror was not quite over yet.

“It’s okay. You’re okay.” 

A deep voice. His hand rubbing a comforting circle on her upper back.

“You really shouldn’t be here, Ben,” she said, reaching up shakily and flushing the toilet. “You’ll get sick, too.”

“I’ll be fine. Besides, you need help.”

“Don’t you have to get back to work?” Rey said, hoping that would maybe get him out of the bathroom so that she could puke in peace. It was weird having someone there watching her. Taking care of her. 

“One of the benefits of freelancing is that you can help take care of your sick roommate.”

Rey settled back on her bottom and pushed a sweaty chunk of hair behind her ear. She was sure that she was quite the sight. Raggedy shorts and a t-shirt she had nearly sweated straight through. She could feel it stick to her back and under her arms.

“I’m fine. I think that was the last time.”

“You said that the last time.”

“ _Ben_.” Her voice was curt. Annoyed. She didn’t enjoy being fussed over, particularly when her entire body ached and she looked like she hadn’t showered in days.

“Okay, you’re fine.” He said, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms over his chest. “Stand.”

She narrowed her eyes challengingly. “That’s easy enough. I do it all the time.”

Ben watched her bring down the seat cover and then plant her hand on it, her face a mask of concentration as she pressed her palm down, her entire arm quivering from the effort as she slowly rose. It was not the swiftest stand, but she did get there, jaw tight and chin held high. It was with great defiance that she said, “I stood.” Task complete, her defiance shifted to a grimace, and she said, “Now, please get me to the couch.”

Ben quickly moved forward and slid an arm around her waist. She leaned against him, her body yearning for the couch, but mostly to be horizontal again, as the few moments in a full stand made her head swim. Ben gently deposited her on the couch and she curled up in a ball, already feeling her body gratefully deposit itself into the soft cushions.

“Thank you, Ben.”

He unceremoniously put his hand on her forehead, and she weakly swatted his hand away as he said, “You’re still really warm.”

He walked into the kitchen and she heard the faucet running before he returned with a wet rag and put it on her forehead. The coolness of the rag felt nice against the heat of her skin. When he asked her if it felt okay, she nodded and he said, “My mom always did that for me when I had a fever as a kid.”

He got up again to grab her something from the kitchen and she could hear him pouring her a cup of tea from the kettle. He returned with the cup and set it on the coffee table.

“I also got to watch TV. Which was a pretty big deal growing up because my parents were usually pretty anti-TV.” The rag had slid a bit down Rey’s forehead and he tugged it back up, his thumb brushing against her temple. “What about you?”

“What about what?” she asked.

“Did your parents do anything special when you were sick?”

Rey hesitated before she said, “I don’t really know. I never met them.”

Ben swallowed hard, not quite knowing how to respond, and he treaded carefully as he said, “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. I don’t think any of my foster parents did, either. Actually, hold on, one of the families always bought me a present anytime I was sick. It was just something small. But, needless to say, I had a lot of stomach aches at that house.” 

“How old were you?”

Rey paused before she said, “Maybe five or six?”

Ben smirked. “You were an enterprising five or six year old.”

“Yes, I was,” she said, reaching for the tea on the coffee table. He picked it up for her and handed it to her. After a small sip, she said, “Tell me about your parents.”

“You want to know about my parents?” he asked in confusion.

“Yes, what do they do?”

“Well, um, my mom is a doctor. My -“

“What type of doctor?” Rey interrupted, taking another sip of tea. 

“She’s an emergency medicine physician. Or at least she was, she’s retired now,” he said, slowly reaching forward for the cup of tea and adding, “And if she were here right now, she’d be making sure you didn’t drink that too fast.”

Rey handed him the mug and said, “Sorry, Dr. Ben.”

He laughed. “It’s okay. I just don’t want you to get sick again. So, where were we…”

“Your mom is an emergency doctor,” Rey said.

“Right,” he said, nodding along. “She was away a lot when I was younger, which was hard. She was either at work all day or she was asleep if she had to do a night shift.”

“And your dad?”

“He was a pilot,” Ben said. “Also wasn’t home a lot.”

“That sounds lonely,” Rey remarked.

Ben shrugged off the question and said, “I think I turned out all right. That’s what matters, right?”

“That’s not all that matters,” Rey said, thinking of her own circumstances. 

Ben hesitated before asking, “Have you ever tried to find your parents?”

Rey pulled the rag off her forehead and wrung it between her hands. “No. They didn’t want me. I never really needed to know more.”

He wanted to tell her that it wasn’t that simple, but maybe it was. Either way, he could sense that she didn’t want to be pushed, so instead he handed her the mug of tea and said, “Why don’t you try another sip?”

Rey drank another sip and said, “This is very good tea, by the way. Are you sure there isn’t some British in you?”

“Not a drop, but thank you.”

* * *

After finishing the tea, Rey drifted off to sleep, only to wake up not long after and rush to the bathroom, nearly taking down a lamp on her way. Ben lightly suggested that they should call a doctor, but Rey said no. It was that way for the next few hours, Ben trying to get her to call a doctor as she kept getting sick, and Rey insisting that she was fine. She knew a doctor would probably tell her to go to the hospital, and there were few places she disliked more. This just needed to pass and she would be fine. Rey should have been suspicious when Ben stopped badgering her to call her doctor, but she wasn’t, which was precisely why she was surprised when his mother was suddenly at her apartment.

“You wouldn’t let me call your doctor, so I improvised,” he said.

“Hello Rey, I’m Leia Organa,” his mother said, walking around the couch and crouching in front of her. She placed her hand on Rey’s forehead – just as her son had done earlier – and said, “Have you taken any Tylenol today?”

“Not for a few hours,” Ben answered.

“Okay, Ben, get her one Advil. Rey, tell me what’s going on. How do you feel?”

“Ben is overreacting,” Rey said. “I just have the stomach flu.”

“When did this start?”

“This morning. Probably around nine.”

“Have you been able to keep anything down?” Leia asked.

“She hasn’t,” Ben said, standing beside her with the Tylenol and a glass of water. “She can’t even keep tea down.”

Leia nodded. “Rey, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to go to the hospital. You’re very dehydrated and it will only get worse. You need to be on an IV right now.”

“Won’t it just pass?” Rey asked weakly.

Leia stood up, smoothing her pants. “This is the right thing to do, Rey. I know the attending over at Lutheran General. I’ll call over to get you fast-passed in the ER.”

Leia didn’t ask so much as tell, and Rey was too weak to argue. Ben took his mother’s prior place in front of Rey and she mumbled, “I hate you,” but there was no real heat behind the words.

He smiled slightly and said, “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t risk you dying on my watch. Can you imagine Rose’s reaction? I wouldn’t last a day.”

Leia joined them again from the kitchen, where she had been calling the hospital, and said, “I spoke with Lutheran General and they’re expecting you. Are we ready?”

Rey held up a finger and then grabbed the nearest container – an unfortunate box of saltines – and emptied what little content of her stomach existed into the box. She gingerly handed it to Ben and said, “Now I’m ready.”

* * *

In the hospital, hooked up to an IV providing both fluids and a handy antipyretic to stop her vomiting, Rey began feeling marginally more human. Rose hurried over from work after getting a text from Ben and said, “Thank god you’re okay. But, how did he actually get you to a hospital? You hate hospitals.”

“His mom forced me to.”

Rose looked over at Ben. “You called your mom to force her to go to the hospital? _Genius_.”

“It didn’t happen exactly like that,” Ben said. “She is an actual health professional who examined her and strongly recommended that she go to the hospital. But, thank you.”

“You are really earning your keep, Benjamin,” Rose said.

* * *

Ben left Rey’s room to find some coffee and was surprised to see his mother milling around in the hallway. She answered his questioning gaze with, “I just visited a few colleagues while I was here. Don’t worry, I’m not looking in on you or anything.”

“I didn’t –“ he stopped himself, shaking his head. “I’m just surprised you’re still here. That’s all.”

“How’s she doing?” 

“Better. Much better, actually. Thank you for doing this.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “I was surprised you called me. She must mean a lot to you.”

Ben rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. “She’s just a friend.”

“Well, anyway, it was nice to see you. Even if it took a medical emergency.”

Ben nodded, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but in that hallway with her. “I should go back in there and check on her,” he said, knowing full well that his mother had seen him leave Rey’s room only moments earlier and that him going back was purely for his benefit, not Rey’s. Leia knew all of that, but she wisely chose not to comment. The years had worked to divide them all, but maybe this was a step in the right direction. After all, he had called.

Before he could slip away, Leia stepped forward and hugged him, murmuring, “Goodbye, Ben.” She was gone before he could fully react, the only remnant of her the soft click-clack of her shoes around the corner. Ben walked back into Rey’s room and after taking one look at him, she immediately asked, “Are you okay?”

“I should be asking you that,” he said, deflecting the question. “You’re the one in the hospital.”

“You do look super pale,” Rose said. “Or are you always this pale? I don’t actually know.”

“I’m fine,” he said dismissively, although his neck did feel a bit hot.

“He’s not normally this pale,” Rey said. “Ben –“ she watched him lunge for the nearest trash bin “– Ben?”

“Oh god, we officially need to burn that apartment now,” Rose muttered.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a Friday night, and Rey and Rose were almost through a bottle of wine while Ben read on the couch with an IPA that Rey previously told him tasted like how urine smelled. He casually interspersed comments into their increasingly loud conversation, laughing to himself as they started a rather spirited debate over whether they should be denied entry to bars based on their outdated driver’s license photographs. 

“You think yours is bad, look at this,” Rose said, brandishing her driver’s license in Rey’s face. Rey let out a guffaw when she saw the photograph. Rose’s dark hair was cut into a sort of mushroom shape with unfortunately blunt bangs.

“How old is this photo? I’ve known you for five years and I’ve never seen your hair like this.”

“I was eighteen. It was a rough time for me. My boyfriend, Carl, broke up with me the week before and he always loved my hair, so…”

“You made sure he never would again?”

“That’s actually the better look after my hairstylist fixed it. You should have seen it before.”

“You’re 26, Rose. How have you not had a new photo in eight years?”

Rose shrugged. “I hate going to the DMV. It’s so much easier just to send in the renewal paperwork.”

“Hey, Ben, what about yours?” Rey asked.

“What about mine?” he asked, not looking up from his book.

“Let’s see your driver’s license,” Rey said. “I’m imaging some blue steel.”

“Oh yes, I can see it,” Rose said. “Pony up, Benjamin!”

Eyes still trained on his book, he said, “I don’t have a driver’s license.”

“What? How do you not have a driver’s license?” Rose asked, as Rey poured the last bit of wine into their glasses. Rose knocked Rey’s arm and said, “That’s not normal, right?”

“It’s not normal,” Rey agreed.

“It’s totally normal,” Ben said. “I live in the city. There’s no reason to drive anywhere.”

Rose still was not convinced, and she asked, “What about family?”

“What about them?” Ben returned drily.

“If you don’t have a license, what do you use if you get carded?” Rey asked.

Ben looked up from his book. “Do I really look like someone who gets carded?”

Rose gestured toward him with her wine glass, almost sloshing a bit over the side, and said, “You do have one those faces where you always just look somewhere in the thirties.”

“Thank you.”

“Not exactly a compliment, Benjamin.”

* * *

Later that evening, when Rose was fast asleep, Rey and Ben were stationed on the couch as usual. Ben worked his way through a bag of pretzels while Rey ate an old TV dinner she found in the back of the freezer. When he asked how old it was, Rey said, “Unclear, but if I’m dead tomorrow you’ll know from what.”

After a bit of aimless chit chat, Rey asked, “So, what’s really going on with your no driver’s license thing?”

“There’s nothing going on. And it’s not a thing, it’s just a fact.”

“You grew up in Upper Montclair. That is a driving neighborhood. So, you must have had one when you were younger, so why wouldn’t you just renew it?”

Ben was oddly quiet, and Rey asked, “You did have a driver’s license before, right?”

Ben took a deep breath. “No.”

“How have you never had one?”

Maybe it was the late hour, or maybe it was just her, but Ben found himself uncharacteristically telling the truth for something with which he usually unfailingly told a fib. 

“It’s not for lack of trying. I would always get nervous for the driving part of the exam. And after you fail it so many times, well…you come up with an alternative.”

Rey stared at him and asked in a low voice, “How many times did you fail?”

“It’s a very high number.”

* * *

The next morning, Rey sat next to Ben at the kitchen island and told him that she was taking him driving in her car. He tried to say no, but she looked so eager to be his teacher that he found himself saying yes, and then they drove together almost every weekend and a few days during the week. She was a patient teacher, even when he almost backed around a corner into a Tesla. During one of their afternoon drives, she gave him direction like always. Usually they ended up in some drive through, except today he ended up pulling into the parking lot of the DMV.

“You tricked me into driving myself to the DMV?” Ben asked loudly.

“It’s not my fault that you remember streets so poorly,” Rey said. “Honestly, we drove past here twice last week.”

“Rey-“

“Look, it’s better this way,” she said, laying a hand on his arm. “You don’t have all the time to get all nervous and worked-up. We’ll just go in there and get you your driver’s license.”

“I have to take the driving exam. And the written exam.”

“You will ace both of them,” Rey said resolutely, popping open the glove compartment and pulling out a book. “And I brought something to entertain me while I’m waiting.”

“You aren’t going to let me leave this parking lot without a license, are you?” Ben asked glumly.

“Technically, that is not up to me,” Rey said happily. “But, the general idea of that is right.”

Ben glanced nervously at the government-issued building. “What if I fail again?”

Rey sensed that Ben was not someone who failed at things often, and she reached over and covered his hand with hers on the steering wheel. 

“You’re not going to fail,” Rey said, turning more toward him. “You can do this. I’ve been in the car with you, Ben, and you can drive. This is just your mind getting in the way.” Rey took a deep breath. “So, I want you to repeat after me.”

“Can we not do this?” Ben asked with a slight grimace.

“Repeat after me, Ben,” Rey continued, undaunted. “My name is Ben Solo.”

When he didn’t immediately respond, Rey hit his hand, and he said, “My name is Ben Solo.”

“And I am going to make this test my bitch.”

“Really?”

“Ben!” she enthused.

“Okay, okay and I am going to make this test my bitch,” Ben said quickly.

Rey settled back into the seat and said, “That was a little underwhelming, but I’m sensing that’s the best we’re going to get.”

“You sensed correctly.”

Rey unbuckled her seatbelt. “Alright, then I guess it’s show time.”

* * *

The DMV was an interesting place. Rey had been in few places that were such a true cross-section of communities. Rich or poor, no one fully escaped the DMV. Rey settled into one the back seats and opened up her book, periodically checking on Ben over in the written testing area. She couldn’t tell if he looked worried or not, but she did catch him catching her looking, so she focused on her book, not wanting to distract him. At some point, she lost track of him, and imagined that he must have been over in line for the driving portion. About three chapters later, he strode toward her, eyes wild and grinning wide as he loudly said, “I did it! I made that test my _bitch_!”

“Ben, that’s amazing!”

She launched herself into his arms for a hug and he lifted her off the ground, her arms winding tighter around his neck as he spun her around. When he set her back on the ground, she was breathless with excitement. However, as she gazed up at him, she became breathless for any entirely different reason. His arms were still around her waist, and while she could no longer wind her arms around his neck due to their height difference, her hands rested softly on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat. It was fast, just like hers.

“Geez, just kiss already,” a teenager seated near them said acerbically.

They pulled apart, Rey tugging at the hem of her shirt awkwardly as Ben said, “That wasn’t-“

“I know,” Rey said quickly. “And I wasn’t-“

Ben interrupted with, “Okay, so are you ready to go?”

“Yep. Let’s go.”

As they walked away, the teenager gave them a look, and Rey couldn’t help herself from pointedly saying, “Good luck on your test.”

“I already have a driver’s license, old lady. I’m not a loser.”

Ben muttered, “See why I avoid this place?”


	5. Chapter 5

Rey never had the best timing. However, it was particularly inopportune for her to realize that she may have feelings for her roommate directly before a quarantine. Sure, she had seemingly unlimited time to explore her feelings for Ben and whether he harbored any in return. But in turn, she also had unlimited time to _obsess_ over her feelings for Ben. And how he seemed to be acting no different after the driving test. 

While Rey floundered in quarantine, Rose flourished, using her free-time to gain a rather reputable following on TikTok. She was currently in the kitchen filming, Ben walking behind her twerking to pour himself coffee. It wasn’t the first time Ben was an “extra” during her videos, and he had unwittingly become somewhat of a celebrity on her page. 

After grabbing his coffee, he sat down next to Rey on the couch and asked, “When is she going to stop doing those?”

Rey shrugged, feigning interest in her computer screen as she tried to ignore how close his leg was to hers and that he smelled like fresh soap.

“I don’t get it,” he said.

“I don’t think TikTok is something you understand. It’s more something that just sort of happens to you.”

“Isn’t one communicable disease enough?” 

Rey snorted and looked over at him, their eyes meeting as they shared a grin. And then it happened again. The butterflies. Heat on the back of her neck. Her heart beating so fast that she wouldn’t be surprised if it showed through her chest like in a cartoon. And then, Ben looked away and took a casual sip of his coffee.

_Right_ , Rey thought. He is just your roommate. Don’t complicate things. Especially when you cannot leave your apartment.

* * *

One week later, Rose enlisted Rey to join her for some TikTok videos, and a few days later, badgered Ben enough that he relented and agreed to learn one dance.

“I draw the line at twerking, though,” Ben warned.

“Don’t worry, Benjamin, I know your strengths and that washboard butt of yours is not one of them.”

Rose settled for an easy routine and set them up in the living room to learn the moves. Rey caught on quickly, but Ben proved a more difficult pupil. He lacked rhythm and had little control over his limbs when he tried to move them to a beat. 

“Ben, move your hips,” Rose said. “No, Ben – how is that possibly close to moving your hips?”

“They won’t move any other way!”

“You have to move them like this,” Rose said, demonstrating the hip swivels needed for the dance. “See? Easy.”

“Yeah, maybe for you.”

“It’s not that difficult. Rey, show him.”

“Why me?” she said. “You just showed him.”

“Yeah, well, Billy Elliot here seems to think only I can do a hip swivel. So, go.”

Rey harrumphed and then did the hip movement. When she looked at Ben his eyes were on her hips and when he looked up their eyes met and he quickly looked away. Was his face getting red? 

“See, Rey can do it,” Rose said. “Therefore, you can do it, too. Now, try again.”

“I’m going to get some water,” Rey said, walking off to the kitchen. As she grabbed a glass, she heard Ben loudly go, “What are you doing?”

When Rey turned back, Rose had taken a hold of his hips. “I’m trying to move them myself.”

“What? No, get off me!”

Rey returned with her water and said, “Why don’t we just try a different dance?”

“No, we’re doing this one,” Rose said. “I guess we’ll just put Ben in the back.”

“Why am I doing this again?” Ben asked, pushing his hair away from his forehead.

“Because I promised to stop doing TikTok pranks to you,” Rose said. “Although, honestly, my followers will miss you.”

Ben shook his head. “Okay, okay, let’s just film this.”

“One more practice,” Rose said, hurrying over to cue up the music.

They went through the routine one last time, and when they were finished Rose said, “That was passible. But, at this point, I don’t think I can expect much better.”

“I’m concerned for your future children,” Ben muttered.

“My future children will have better rhythm than you,” Rose returned easily, setting up the camera. “Okay, everyone, it’s time. Remember, game faces on!”

The choreography began with running into the camera’s frame and at the first beat they ran in: Rose kicking her heels up high, Ben doing the bare minimum, and Rey slipping on the hardwood floor. She landed on her tailbone with a loud thump.

“Shit, Rey, are you okay?” Rose said, going over to her.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She winced as she tried to stand and sank right back down to the ground. “Okay, maybe not so much. I think I threw my back out.”

“Ben, help me get her up,” Rose said, weaving one arm around her back. Ben crouched down and took a hold of her waist, taking on most of her weight as they moved over to the couch. The slight movement sent a searing pain through Rey’s back and she blinked away tears.

“Can I get you anything?” Ben asked.

“No, I’m okay now,” she said. “I’ve had this happen to me before. I just have to ride it out.”

Rose had picked up her phone and was watching the video. “You actually have very good form when you fall. Thoughts on my still posting? Sometimes dance fails are even better than the really good ones.”

Rey shifted the slightest and her back protested loudly. With a grimace, Rey said, “I wouldn’t want to let down your followers.”

“They really would be missing out.”

Ben still looked worried, and Rey said, “I’m fine, really. I promise.”

He nodded. “Well, I’m going to get out of here before she decides to try another dance.”

“That seems wise.”

They shared a quick smile before he disappeared into his room. Rose walked over with a glass of water and handed it over. She held up a pill bottle and said, “I have some leftover pain meds from when I had my wisdom teeth out.”

Rey held out her hand. “Yes, please.”

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Rose padded into the living room with some leftover pizza and found Rey bunched up in the corner of the couch, examining her hand. Mouth full of pizza, Rose asked, “You okay over there?”

“Are you?” Rey returned, throwing a few more syllables into the words than Webster’s dictionary intended.

“Wow. Those pain meds really hit you hard, huh?”

Ben walked out of his bedroom and did a double take over at Rey, who had now worked her way into a half-recline on the couch, and couldn’t seem to work her way out of it. She looked over at Ben with wide eyes and said, “Help.”

He quickly walked over and helped her sit upright again. As he moved away, she took a hold of his shirt and said, “Sit with me.”

“Okay,” he said, settling next to her on the couch. She leaned toward him and said, “Ben…”

“Yeah?”

“I know you are not the Zodiac Killer.”

Ben didn’t know where to start with that, and stammered, “What?”

“Don’t even try to understand it,” Rose said, taking another bite of her pizza. “She’s high out of her mind right now.”

Ben looked back at Rose with confusion. “How is she high?”

“I gave her some pain medication for her back. She must have a really low tolerance.”

Rey was still holding a fistful of Ben’s shirt, rubbing the material between her fingers, and murmured, “I like this shirt. It’s soft and warm. Like you.”

“Thanks,” Ben said off-handedly, but he was caught off-guard by the tender look on her face when he glanced down at her. 

“Do you remember when we were at the DMV?”

He nodded.

“I wanted you to kiss me.” She leaned against him, yawning wide. “I really did.”

As Rey proceeded to pass out on Ben’s shoulder, Rose rounded on him and said, “Um, what?”

“It’s nothing,” Ben said. “You said yourself to not try to make sense of what she says right now.”

“Yeah, but that was a very specific reference. Did something happen when you guys went to the DMV?”

“Yeah, I got my license,” Ben said. “Why don’t we just forget about this?”

“No one wants to be kissed in a DMV. That’s, like, the least romantic place in the world. Unless you have a romantic moment there. Then, the least romantic place in the world _becomes_ romantic.”

“I can tell you’re excited to have something new to obsess over during quarantine, but there’s nothing here,” Ben said. “We’re just – “ he broke off as Rey began to stir, shifting until she settled into another spot on his shoulder. A chunk of hair fell across her face and without thinking, Ben tucked it behind her ear.

The intimacy of the moment was unmistakable, and Rose asked, “You’re just what, again?” 

* * *

A few hours later, Rey woke up, surprised to find herself nestled against Ben on the couch. He was reading a book, and when he felt her shift, he put it down on the cushion and said, “You’re up.”

“Sorry that I used you as a pillow,” she said, pulling away. 

“How’s your back?”

Rey realized that she hadn’t felt so much as a tweak when she pulled away, and said, “Much better, actually. Thanks.”

“I’m glad.”

They were quiet for a moment, both of them thinking about what had happened earlier, albeit, one with a clearer memory than the other. Ben cleared his throat, and he went to speak just as Rey did.

“Sorry, you go,” he said.

“No, you go,” Rey said, laughing a bit. “Technically, that throat clearing could be considered the start of your sentence, so you were first.”

Ben grinned. “Okay, fair enough.”

He paused, and Rey could see him trying to work out what to say. He looked as tied up as she felt, and after a moment, she took pity on him and said, “I know what you’re going to say.”

“You do?” he asked skeptically.

She nodded. “You are the Zodiac Killer, aren’t you?”

Ben laughed. “No, that’s actually not what I was going to say.”

“Damnit, I really thought I was on to something.”

“No, I was going to say that I do remember us at the DMV. And, I did want to kiss you. But, these things never come easy to me and I like what we have here. I don’t want to mess it up.”

“Who says you’ll mess it up?” she asked.

“I’m not good at this.”

“Yeah, well, neither am I,” she said, gently placing her palm against his. “Maybe we can be not good at it together?”

He slowly interlaced his fingers with hers, each new point of contact making her heartbeat quicken. This was unchartered territory for both of them, but she was too taken by the present to think any further. He leaned in slowly and just as they were about to kiss, Rose ran out of her room and yelled, "We've gone TikTok viral!"

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This will be my first multi-chapter modern Reylo story. I have some fun plans for this one, so please let me know if you'd like to see more!
> 
> Also, yes, I do write a Roommates AU for basically every fandom I am in. They are just too much fun to write!


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